Determinants of Male Reproductive Success in the Marine Hydrozoan Hydractinia Milleri

生殖成功的理论和实证研究， 生活史进化主要集中在调节 女性的表现。 这种强调只有在能够 假设男性生殖成功的决定因素是 就像那些调节女性生殖成功的基因一样。 但在 几乎所有的多细胞生物， 生殖行为的性别差异，这导致 男性和女性的决定因素的根本差异 繁殖成功 一个最简单的和最种族的 生殖行为中普遍存在的性别差异 是雌性配子在母体内的保留， 施肥后的时间，和广播（或转移， 传粉者）将雄配子传播到空气或水中。 这 生殖二分法潜在地提高了（1） 雄配子间竞争;（2） 受精前生殖成功，（3）多样性 兄弟姐妹关系中的父权 因此，这种 生殖模式的性别特异性变异 影响基因流的性选择水平的强度， 繁殖系统的结构和社会进化 行为。 目前，几乎没有什么是已知的 男性与女性生殖成功的决定因素， 不动的水生无脊椎动物。这项研究将 对个体雄性进行直接的现场测量（并且， 繁殖的成功和扩散， 水螅虫Hydracactinia milleri DNA序列分析 (i.e., DNA指纹）来确定亲子关系 育雏幼虫和成虫的关系， 并在三年的时间里招募到地图上的种群中。 从现场和实验室获得的数据 操作将允许评估菌落密度， 大小和邻近性影响着生殖系统之间的关系， 投资、受精成功和繁殖成功。

Theoretical and empirical studies of reproductive success and life-history evolution primarily focus on the regulation of female performance. This emphasis is justifiable only if it can be assumed that the determinants of male reproductive success are like those regulating female reproductive success. Yet, in virtually all multicellular organisms, there is substantial gender-specific variation in reproductive behavior, which leads to fundamental differences in the determinants of male and female reproductive success. One of the simplest and most phyletically widespread gender-specific differences in reproductive behavior is the retention of female gametes within the parent until some time after fertilization, and the broadcasting (or transfer by pollinators) of male gametes into air or water. This reproductive dichotomy potentially enhances levels of (1) intermale gametic competition, (2) gender-specific variance in pre-fertilization reproductive success, and (3) diversity of paternity within sibling relationships. Consequently, this sort of gender-specific variation in reproductive pattern potentially affects the intensity of sexual selection levels of gene flow, the structure of breeding systems, and the evolution of social behaviors. At present, virtually nothing is known about the determinants of male versus female reproductive success for any non-motile, aquatic invertebrate. This research will make direct field measurements of individual male (and, necessarily, female) reproductive success and dispersal in the colonial hydrozoan, Hydractinia milleri. DNA sequence analysis (i.e., DNA fingerprinting) to determine parent-offspring relationships of brooded larvae and adults that are members of, and recruit into, mapped populations over a three-year period. Data obtained from a combination of field and laboratory manipulations will allow an assessment of how colony density, size and proximity affect the relationship among reproductive investment, fertilization success, and reproductive success.